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I check around the corner of the alleyway to make sure the coast is clear while tightening my leather jacket to avoid the cold, chilling air of the Isle this early in the morning. I try to see through the thick fog that seems to cover the ground. I hear the wind howl along with the dead silence of the early morning. How am I going to find anything at this hour?
Mal has sent me out here to get some information on the pirates on the docks. Well, more importantly, her enemy Uma. I have no clue why Mal sent me out this early. It’s not like many villains or even most VKs are up right now.
Okay, I think the coast is clear. I take off, running to the next alleyway. I need to come up with a plan. Ursula’s shop closes around four in the morning, and it’s around five now, so it just closed an hour ago. Honestly, most everything closes around four to four thirty in these parts. Villains like to stay up at night and sleep in the early mornings.
But it’s the perfect opportunity for us VKs to get some time out on our own.
But that doesn’t give me any idea of how I’m going to get information on Uma. She’s probably sound asleep right now, and the only information I can get is how she sleeps, which I don’t really need.
I hear footsteps, making me quickly dart behind some crates. I didn’t expect too many people to be out this early. I thought most people would be sleeping by now. So why is this person out?
Okay, just stay hidden until the figure leaves. The figure seems too far away to make out any features, but I see that they are wearing dark red colors and standing on a dock, just staring off into the distance. They don’t seem to see me, but I don’t want to take any chances.
Why are they just standing out there? I don’t think anything interesting exists out there except the barrier locking us on the island. He’s not even looking off into Auradon, just the ocean.
Maybe I should investigate. This person is acting weird and giving me creepy vibes. It’s not like I’m going to be getting much information on Uma right now. I might as well do my own investigating. And besides, I have some tools I need to protect myself, just in case. I might as well do something to fill my time until I can do my job.
I check around one more time to make sure that no one else is coming. I don’t want to come out and get jumped. This guy could be tricking me, and I’m not in the mood to get captured this morning.
Okay, no one is coming. I slowly get up and start walking over to the figure on the dock. The figure doesn’t move, but I can start to make out more details. The figure is wearing a long-tailed red coat and a black pirate hat. It's clear that the guy must be a pirate.
I slowly start to approach the pirate. Suddenly, his hand comes into view, and my eyes widen as I see a bright, shiny hook. I know exactly who this guy is. I turn around to try to run.
Before I can leave, I feel a cold hand on my shoulder, making me freeze from the sudden touch and the cold. “And where do ye think yer going, blue?” Harry. Harry Hook. Uma’s first mate and best ally. I’ve just set myself up for a trap.
“Nothing. Just trying to get back home as all,” I quickly tell the pirate, trying to come up with an excuse so Harry doesn’t attack me. He just chuckles. I feel Harry’s head lean down on my shoulder, but I don’t feel any breath. I suck in my breath, just wishing I could get away already.
“I don’t believe ye, blue. Tell me what ye are really doin’ here,'' Harry softly presses in my ear. I try to take a few steps away from the pirate, but he stops me.
“Harry, just let me go. I’m just heading back to my territory now! Don’t do anything!” I plead out. Harry just turns me around before I stare at him. I can tell something is off about him, but I can’t exactly tell what. He looks pale, gaunt even. What is wrong with him? Harry gets close to my face, making me shiver from the cold against his skin. I need to get away from him. I don’t feel safe right now.
“Oh, I’m not going to do anythin’ to ye lass. I just want to chat a little,” Harry remarks as he places his hands on my shoulders, sending shivers down my whole body. I pull away from Harry and turn around, staring into his cold, dead eyes. I start backing away, but Harry follows me.
“Well, I’m not in the mood! You’re going to tell Uma that I’m here! I need to go before your crew comes to capture me!” I exclaim before I take off, running off the dock.
“Oh, c’mon! Why do ye think I need my team all the time? I can handle ye myself if I need to!” Harry calls after me. I roll my eyes and turn around for a second.
“Oh, please! I could beat you any day,” I can’t help but yell back as I try to escape the pirate. I hear Harry call after me again.
“This isn’t over, blue! I will find ye!” Harry calls out, making me run faster to Ursula’s chip shop, hoping I can hide out there until Harry gives up on finding me.
When I arrive at the chip shop, as expected, it was closed. But maybe I can still hide here long enough for Harry to give up on trying to find me. I try to push the door to the chip shop, but it won’t budge. What is going on? Why won’t the door open?
I can hear someone inside the chip shop. That better not be Ursula! I think she’s asleep right now, but I’m still a little nervous. Maybe it’s also Uma. But I can handle Uma more than Ursula.
Suddenly, the moving door flies open to reveal Harry again. My eyes widen before I stumble back. How did he get here quicker than me? It shouldn’t be possible. Harry walks back over to me, lifts me off the ground, and pins me to the wall.
I growl as I stare at Harry. “Let me go!” I sneer out at the pirate, who just chuckles as he moves closer to me.
“I wasn’t done talking to ye, blue! Ye better know that it’s rude to walk away before yer done talkin’ to someone,” Harry sneers, his pale face and blank eyes staring straight into me.
Biting down on my lip, I just decide that I might as well suck it up and get it over with. It's clear that he doesn't want to leave me alone. It doesn't help that I'm getting an increasingly sketchy vibe from him. Maybe if I just give in just a little bit, he'll let me go. So, whatever he has to say, I'll hear it.
“Okay, fine, what do you want to talk about? Let’s get this over with,” I tell Harry, who smirks as he starts to lose his grip. I sigh a little. I can finally move again, but from the gaze in Harry's eyes, I know better than to try and run.
“Oh, not much. I just want ye, blue,” Harry slyly sneers, his eyes widening even more, making me stare at him in confusion. I take a small step back, feeling increasingly uneasy. What does he want with me?
“What could you possibly want with me? You already have your own crew. Trust me, I’m not betraying my crew. I have nothing that you could want!” I exclaim, making Harry roll his eyes and let out an even darker chuckle.
“Oh, it’s not about the stupid crews anymore! I don’t care about a crew now! Ye are so incredibly powerful, blue. I can easily use ye to gain so much power,” Harry reveals, reaching up to run his icy hook against my face, making me grow even more uncomfortable.
Something’s wrong; Harry would never betray Uma. Why is he trying to use me? This isn’t like him at all. Did they have some sort of falling out? Is that why he's acting even crazier than he usually does? Something just isn't adding up here.
“Okay, seriously. What power are you talking about? Yeah, I have respect on Isle because of my crew. But don’t you have your own power here, especially on the docks?” I ask Harry, who rolls his eyes again.
“Not that kind of power! Magical power! That’s what I’m after, lass!” Harry declares, but I can't help but still feel too confused and uneasy. We’re on an island with no magic. I don’t even think I have magic in the first place! Besides, I can't even use magic here if I do have any.
“Harry, I don’t have magical powers, and we’re on the Isle where no magic exists anyway. What are you talking about? You’re making no sense!” I exclaim, making Harry sigh in annoyance.
“Yeah, but it’s not like ye’re going to stay here forever! Ye know what? I’m not going to argue with ye. It’s not worth it. Just know I’m always going to be around. I can’t wait until we get off this island!” Harry declares again. I feel my fear rise again. I need to get away from this pirate. There's no way I'm ever going to work with Harry. He has his own crew, and I have mine. I just need to get out of here!
“Yeah, not going to happen. I don’t have any magic, and besides, I’m pretty sure Uma has magic, so you can just use her when you get out of this place. But I need to go,” I exclaim before pushing Harry away from me. He's forced to let go of me before I take off running. I don’t hear Harry run behind me, so I might be safe. But I’m not going to take the risk and stop running.
I make it to Uma’s pirate ship. I stop to catch my breath. This is probably not the best place to be right now, but I’m exhausted and need a place to hide. Harry’s probably back at the chip shop, so I should be fine, at least for a little bit. I start climbing up the rope to the ship’s deck. I suddenly gaze up, and my eyes widen as I see Harry hanging from a rope above me.
Okay, how did that get up there?
“What!” I stumble back again. How does that pirate keep showing up? Harry lets go of the rope, lands on the ground, and stalks over to me. I start moving backward again. I can’t believe I’m in this place yet again! Why can’t he just leave me alone?
“Harry, just leave me alone! I’m not going to help you! You have your own crew. I should never have come to the docks in the first place! I’m sorry for entering your territory! I didn't mean to, but just leave me alone!” I plead out as Harry makes his way over to me.
I know I just exposed a huge weakness. I'm never supposed to be sorry, ever, but I can't help it. My fear is just too much to think straight at this point. I can even feel my body shaking; I can hardly stay on my feet.
“Why don’t ye understand, blue! I don’t care about the stupid crew! Ye have the power. I need no one else!” Harry finally yells, his voice ringing in my ears, and suddenly, I hear lightning off in the distance, making me jump. That's it. Whatever is going on is not normal!
“No, you don’t! There is always something with you, Harry, and I’m not going to fall for it! Get someone else to help you, but I’m leaving!” I yell in response, just trying to get my point across to the pirate that I will never work with him.
I glance down to see something shiny in Harry’s pocket. It almost seems to be glowing. I gaze up at Harry. I keep walking backward, but I suddenly feel the wooden railing behind me, and Harry still approaches me. I wonder what’s in his pocket. Maybe I can distract him long enough by taking it and getting out of here.
Okay, Evie, just remember what Jay taught you. I’m sure you can do it! Right when Harry gets in my face, I reach down to grab the item and take off running. I run down the plank and keep running. I gaze down at the item. It’s a pocket watch. Huh, it must be Harry’s dad’s pocket watch.
“NO!!! GET BACK HERE!!!” I hear Harry yell from the pirate ship, making me run faster, just trying to get away from the terrifying pirate.
I can't stop running. I just keep going, trying to get away from the docks. I need to get away and back to the safety of the hideout. I can just explain to Mal what happened. I’m sure she’s going to understand why I couldn’t get anything on Uma.
I finally get back to the hideout. I check behind me to ensure Harry isn’t following me. He isn’t, making me sigh in relief. I try to throw a rock at the sign, but I miss the first time as usual. I just sigh and try again, getting the sign this time.
I rush up the stairs to the main part of the hideout. When I get to the top, I spot Carlos working on another tech project while Jay goes through the latest stash and Mal spray paints a wall. The purple-haired girl gazes at me and smirks as she closes her spray paint bottle.
“You’re back! Now tell me, what did you find out about Uma?” Mal immediately inquires, making me sigh and cross my arms. How do I even reveal all the crazy things that happened this morning?
“Uma was sound asleep when I got to the docks, so I didn’t find anything about her, but Harry was wide awake and active this morning,” I explain, watching as Mal just gazes at me in shock and confusion.
“Wait, where did you see Harry?” Mal asks me in shock. I eye the purple-haired girl in confusion. She knows Harry, so why does she seem so shocked?
“The docks. But he kept showing up in the most random places. Like I saw Harry staring off into the distance on the docks, then he appeared in Ursula’s chip shop even though it closed a few hours ago, and then I saw him on the ship. It was weird; he was acting so differently, but I don’t know why,” I admit to Mal as she steps back, staring at me with this horrified gaze in her eyes.
But after blinking a few times, Mal shakes her head. “That’s weird because you know what happened to Harry the other day, right? Jay and I had a sword fight with Uma, and Harry, remember me telling you?” Mal asks, and I nod as I remember that pretty well; at least, I thought I did.
“Yeah, why does that have to do with me seeing Harry?” I ask Mal, who chuckles and crosses her arms.
“E, Jay got Harry; he died. I even saw Uma throw Harry’s dead body in the sea. Harry’s dead, Evie, so whoever you saw out there wasn’t Harry,” Mal reveals, making my eyes widen in shock and confusion.
“Wait, then, who did I see, and what are they doing with Harry’s pocket watch?” I ask as I pull out the pocketwatch and show it to Mal, who shrugs.
“No idea. Maybe it was someone pretending to be Harry,” Mal suggests as I observe the old pocket watch in my hands. Yeah, if Harry is dead, that means it must be someone trying to trick me. That must be why he was acting so weird.
But it doesn't stop me from having a weird feeling about this morning. That the guy I did see was, in fact, Harry, but that's not possible, right?
I gaze up, and my eyes widen as I see a creepy and translucent figure resembling Harry standing in the corner of the hideout, staring at me with the same unsettling gaze as earlier. I gasp as I step backward. Mal just said that Harry is dead. Then how is he here right now? And most of all, why is he just staring at me like that?